v.
Pronunciation: ri- ' düs, - ' dyüs
Function: verb
Inflected Form: re · duced ; re · duc · ing
Etymology: Middle English, to lead back, from Latin reducere, from re- + ducere to lead ― more at TOW
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : to draw together or cause to converge : CONSOLIDATE < reduce all the questions to one> b (1) : to diminish in size, amount, extent, or number < reduce taxes> < reduce the likelihood of war> (2) : to decrease the volume and concentrate the flavor of by boiling <add the wine and reduce the sauce for two minutes> c : to narrow down : RESTRICT <the Indians were reduced to small reservations> d : to make shorter : ABRIDGE
2 archaic : to restore to righteousness : SAVE
3 : to bring to a specified state or condition <the impact of the movie reduced them to tears>
4 a : to force to capitulate b : FORCE , COMPEL
5 a : to bring to a systematic form or character < reduce natural events to laws> b : to put down in written or printed form < reduce an agreement to writing>
6 : to correct (as a fracture) by bringing displaced or broken parts back into their normal positions
7 a : to lower in grade or rank : DEMOTE b : to lower in condition or status : DOWNGRADE
8 a : to diminish in strength or density b : to diminish in value
9 a (1) : to change the denominations or form of without changing the value (2) : to construct a geometrical figure similar to but smaller than (a given figure) b : to transpose from one form into another : CONVERT c : to change (an expression) to an equivalent but more fundamental expression < reduce a fraction>
10 : to break down (as by crushing or grinding) : PULVERIZE
11 a : to bring to the metallic state by removal of nonmetallic elements < reduce an ore by heat> b : DEOXIDIZE c : to combine with or subject to the action of hydrogen d (1) : to change (an element or ion) from a higher to a lower oxidation state (2) : to add one or more electrons to (an atom or ion or molecule)
12 : to change (a stressed vowel) to an unstressed vowel
intransitive verb
1 a (1) : to become diminished or lessened especially : to lose weight by dieting (2) : to become reduced <ferric iron reduce s to ferrous iron> b : to become concentrated or consolidated c : to undergo meiosis
2 : to become converted or equated
synonyms see DECREASE , CONQUER
– re · duc · er noun
– re · duc · ibil · i · ty \ - ˌ dü-s ə - ' bi-l ə -t ē , - ˌ dyü- \ noun
– re · duc · ible \ - ' dü-s ə -b ə l, - ' dyü- \ adjective
– re · duc · ibly \ -bl ē \ adverb